Vibe time in the HastingsMark Saxon | First Published: June 2016

It’s the time of year when we look at the prospect of some great deep-water action in our local rivers, the Hastings and the Camden. With bream schooling and mulloway hanging close by, it definitely pays to look at deep-water fishing tactics.

It is no secret that June produces some unbelievable action around the breakwalls, with cracking numbers and good-sized fish. Bream will be the main target, however whiting, mulloway and tailor will all play the game if you use the method I prefer – soft vibes. Yes, all vibes catch their share, but soft vibes slay bream and have an outstanding mulloway by-catch rate, which tips the scales in their favour on my boat!

Last season we used plastics with heavier jigheads and caught fish, but managed to also be hammered by the local leatherjacket population. I was lucky enough to get my hands on the Samaki Vibelicious in the whitebait pattern, which created an unreal run of fish for the rest of the season. This lure sinks perfectly without tumbling like others tend to, and even at 10g they still get hit on the drop. The 70mm size perfectly matches whitebait. It’s not too difficult to work them; a cast out and then a simple double hop retrieve near the bottom with plenty of pauses. Another retrieve you can try is a single long draw on the rod and then sink it back. Be prepared for a hit on the drop and while the lure is at rest.

Seriously, get out there over the next couple of months and give a try. It may be cool this time of the season, but the fishing can be red-hot.

Beaches

Rug up and stay warm, as we could be in for some entertaining nights on the beach. Some of our best beach fishing takes place in the cooler months and with the mullet, salmon and tailor hanging around, you just know a big mulloway will be available in one of the gutters or holes. I find a likely looking spot early and then set my game plan with a cast around for tailor to start with so they can then be used as fresh mulloway bait. Once I have enough, I make the necessary filleting so I have the slabs and head separate for use on a heavier rod. Beaches in the Port area that produce consistently are North Beach, Lighthouse Beach and the Cathie end. Even if you don’t get a mulloway, the salmon that are around over the cooler months will keep the action rolling while you wait for your silver ghost.

Offshore

The offshore fishing over the last few months has been quite good. I’ve seen some big mahimahi caught this year, but none bigger than the specimen Dave Wells captured. This time of year should hopefully see the boaties able to get out and chase a few reds around the lighthouse to Cathie grounds – there can be some real stonkers here every season and it wasn’t that many moons ago that my little boat pulled two 10kg models from this area on a morning where we only got two hits for the session. Try in close early and move out through the morning. Plastics will catch them, but give the jigs a go as some great fish have been taken on these little jigs – check them out at your local tackle store, it could make a difference when the fish are a bit sick of seeing rubber in their face.

If you stay comfortable in the weather conditions you will not only feel better but you will also fish better, so put on some good warm clothing, pack a thermos of hot coffee, and get cracking – the winter fishing is upon us.

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Mandy with a nice school mulloway taken upriver.

Lou and James got into the surface action on trevally recently, which has been great fun.

Casey, Trevor and Ryan show off some of the mixed fish you can catch on soft vibes.